But poets were not considered dangerous and they were advised to exercise self-censorship. At most, poets were requested not to write at all. I took advantage of this negative liberty.
Eugenio MontaleRead
Art is the production of objects for consumption, to be used and discarded while waiting for a new world in which man will have succeeded in freeing himself of everything, even of his own consciousness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art reflects human existence and our evolving consciousness, often serving transient purposes.
Eugenio Montale's quote suggests that art is not just about creating lasting masterpieces, but rather about the process of production and consumption. It implies that art serves as a bridge to a future where humanity transcends its current limitations and ultimately finds freedom from materialism and even from the confines of self-awareness.
Themes
ArtCreationConsciousnessTransformationFreedom
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of creativity, one might say, 'As Montale asserts, art is the production of objects for consumption, reminding us of the transient nature of our experiences'.
More from Eugenio Montale
All quotes →There is poetry even in prose, in all the great prose which is not merely utilitarian or didactic: there exist poets who write in prose or at least in more or less apparent prose; millions of poets write verses which have no connection with poetry.
Eugenio MontaleRead
Mass communication, radio, and especially television, have attempted, not without success, to annihilate every possibility of solitude and reflection.
Eugenio MontaleRead
It has often been observed that the repercussion of poetic language on prose language can be considered a decisive cut of a whip.
Eugenio MontaleRead
I have always knocked at the door of that wonderful and terrible enigma which is life.
Eugenio MontaleRead
For my part, if I consider poetry as an object, I maintain that it is born of the necessity of adding a vocal sound (speech) to the hammering of the first tribal music.
Eugenio MontaleRead
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